Impatiens plant

ABSTRACT

A novel Impatiens plant having white blossoms and large, variegated leaves.

The present invention relates to a new and distinctive cultivar ofImpatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens and known by thecultivar name Patriot. The new cultivar was developed by me throughcontrolled breeding by crossing the unpatented seedling 74-136-1(Mikkelsen) (seed parent) with the unpatented seedling 74-211-2(Mikkelsen) (pollen parent). Asexual reproduction of terminal or stemcuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens arestabilized and are reproduced true to type in successive propagations.

The following characteristics distinguish the new Impatiens from bothits parent varieties and other cultivated Impatiens of this type knownand used in the floriculture industry:

1. Distinctive white flower at maturity, up to 6 cm. in diameter.Flowers are held close or tight to the foliage.

2. Large variegated foliage, close internodes.

3. Slow growing, thereby providing pot plant potential.

4. A companion to my white Impatiens cultivar Monticello, but havingless clear cut leaf variegation; Patriot does not present as manyflowers in bloom at one time as does Monticello, which is disclosed inmy application Ser. No. 764,012 filed Jan. 31, 1977.

5. Compact habit, which tends to restrict rapid development of sidegrowth so that cutting production is somewhat less than other cultivarsresulting from the breeding program.

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof this cultivar taken as a top view of the plant and showing the colorsas true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in a colored reproductionof this type. The plant illustrated was grown in a 5" clay pot withoutremoval of apical tip.

The following is a detailed description of my new Impatiens cultivarbased on plants produced under commercial practices in the greenhousesof Mikkelsens Inc., Ashtabula, Ohio during September, 1975. Colorreferences are made to the Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chartexcept where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Parentage: A controlled pollination of Mikkelsen seedling 74-136-1 asthe seed parent crossed with Mikkelsen seedling 74-211-2 as the pollenparent.

Propagation:

Type cutting.--Tip cuttings 2-3 cm. long.

Time to visible rooting.--10-12 days at 21° C summer, and 12-16 days at20° winter.

Rooting habit.--Considered rapid, profuse with both primary andsecondary roots, dendritic pattern.

Plant description:

Form.--Vigorous, upright, extremely close internodes, herb.

Habit of growth.--Upright, compact, slow growing, self branching.

Foliage.--Abundant, well textured, dark green with pronouncedvariegation; Size: Up to 6 cm. wide and up to 15 cm. long, with petiolesup to 4-5 cm. long; Shape: symmetrically elliptical, strongly revolute;apice acute, base acute, Texture: Leathery, glabrous, rugose; Margin:Nearly entire, finely cilioate; Color: Mature foliage: Top side: Outermargin darker than yellow green 147-A, inner area near yellow 11C; Underside: Outer margin between 147 yellow green A, B, inner area yellow11C-D. Young foliage: Very similar in color to mature foliage except thedegree of variegation. Venation: Pinnately, arcuate.

Flowering description:

Flowering habits.--Flowering appears to be sparse, because flowerdevelopment is slow and older flowers have deteriorated, less than oneflower per leaf.

Natural flowering season.--Flowering is indeterminate; however plantstend to be more floriferous in winter than summer.

Flower buds.--Typically symmetrically conical, covered with 2 distinctsepals and a scale-like sepal on the back side of the top petals; as buddevelops the spur curves outward from the bottom.

Flowers borne.--Single blooms supported on a short near colorlesspedicel 3-4 cm. long by 1.5 mm., to 2 mm. in diameter at base; pediceldoes not elongate so that flowers are held close to the foliage.

Quantity of flowers.--Generally less by 25-30% than most of the NewGuinea hybrids.

Petals.--Shape: Generally heartshaped, apex notched. Color: Top side inwinter when opening, very soft flush of pink, fading to white; underside white. Number of petals: 5; top petal largest, bottom 2intermediate in size, side 2 smallest. Size of petals: Top petal up to 3cm; flower diameter up to 6 cm.

Reproductive organs.--Stamens: one in number; Anther shape: Hooded overpistil; Color: white; Pollen: Color White; Pistils: Stigma: flat, shapecircular, irregular surface; color, green crystalline; Style: Color,translucent to green. Ovaries: One in number; size 3-4 mm. green incolor.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens plant known by thecultivar name Patriot and particularly characterized as to uniqueness bythe combined characteristics of distinct white flower color at maturity,with the flower being close to the foliage; large variegated foliagewith close internodes, and slow growth and compact habit.